Preparation of N-acetyl-p-aminophenol



United States Patent This invention relates to a novel method of producing a substantially pure N-acetyl-para-aminophenol.

In the past few years a new class of non-volatile antioxidants for petroleum products, greases, synthetic lubricants, plastic rubbers, resins, etc. have been developed. The materials may be called acylated p-aminophenols as a class. Of this class the lower molecular weight members, particularly N-acetyl-p-arninophenol, have found extensive use in the pharmaceutical industry as analgesic additives in aspirin and the like.

One of the major problems with the preparation of N-acetyl-paminophenol has been the high purity specifications the product must meet in order to be acceptable for use in pharmaceutical compositions. One pharmaceutical company, for example, has listed the following specifications as N-acetyl-p-aminophenol product must meet to be acceptable:

One of the most common failures in manufacture has been the inability to meet the requirement as to color, i.e. an APHA of maximum.

N-acetyl-p-aminophenol is generally prepared by a condensation reaction which comprises heating p-aminophenol and acetic acid in the presence of an entraining solvent such as benzene, toluene, xylene and the like. The product is then dehydrated by evaporation. This general method fails to produce a white pharmaceutical grade product. Accordingly, various methods of recrystallization, distillation and solvent extraction have been attempted with varying degrees of success. in all cases to produce a pharmaceutical grade N-acetyl-paminophenol it has been found essential that the p-arninophenol starting material be of high grade, i.e. substan tially pure and white, indicating essentially unoxidized and uncolored p-aminophenol. Moreover, even if the p-aminophenol starting material is of this high grade, to produce a white pharmaceutical grade N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, it has heretofore been necessary to conduct the condensation of p-aminophenol and acetic acid under a gas such as sulfur dioxide and in the presence of a catalyst such as boric acid. The disadvantages of this latter method are obvious. In addition to being a costly oper ation that necessitates the use of a catalyst, it is timeconsuming and laborious. The reaction proceeds slowly and large amounts of water are formed that must be removed during the reaction. Entraining solvents such as xylene, toluene, etc. are commonly employed to assist in this removal, which solvents must be removed at the completion of the reaction. The removal of these solvents, of course, entails yet another operation, ordinarily that of distillation. To add further complication, one is "Ice confronted with the cumbersome task of maintaining a blanket of gas over the reactants.

l have discovered a relatively simple method of producing a relatively pure N-acetyl-p-aminophenol at a surprisingly rapid rate without the need of a catalyst, a blanket of inert gas nor a substantially pure, white p-aminophenol starting material. in accordance with my invention, I mix p-aminophenol with Water in a ratio of at least about 1 part by weight R 0 per 2 parts of p-aminophenol and with acetic anhydride. Advantageously, the p-aminophenol and water are first mixed with the acetic anhydride being added subsequently; however, other mixing procedures can be used providing the acetic compound is essentially in the anhydride form when brought together with both the p-aminophenol and water. The resulting mixture is then agitated at a temperature of up to about 130 0, preferably up to about 70 C. or C., and usually no advantage is associated with using less than ambient temperature. The reaction of the p-aminophenol is surprisingly rapid, starting almost instantaneously on mixing with water and acetic anhydride and is substantially over in a few minutes, e.g. about 3 to 20 to 60 or more minutes. On completion of the reaction, the N-acetyl-p-aminophenol product is treated with aqueous ammonium hydroxide sufficient to provide a mixture having a pH of at least about 6, preferably about 6.5 to 9. The product can then be separated by cooling to crystallization temperature. In a more preferred method, on completion of the reaction, the mixture is cooled, usually to a temperature below about 30 (3., preferably to about 10 to 20 C., to precipitate N-acetyl p aminophenol. The precipitated N-acetyl-p-aminophcnol is separated as by filtration and the separated product is then dissolved in an aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide to give the pH described above and the ammonium-treated product is separated by cooling to crystallizing temperatures.

The method of the present invention produces a relatively pure, white product or at worst an intermediate which can be readily made white by contact with a solid adsorbent. Thus, alternately, the ammonium hydroxide-treated product either before separation by crystallization or after crystallization and dissolving in water can be contacted with a solid adsorbent, for instance an inorganic material such as carbon black, preferably ironfree, at a temperature of up to about C. or some what more. The amount of adsorbent employed usually falls in the range of about 3 to 10 weight percent or more (based on the total solution). A contact time of equal to or greater than about 5 minutes is generally employed. The mixture is then filtered free or" the solid adsorbent and cooled to recrystallize or precipitate N-acetyl-paminophenol. The N-acetyl-p-aminophenol is then separated trom the ammonium hydroxide to obtain a substantially pure, white final product.

The amount of water employed in the reaction is that which bears a weight ratio to p-aminophenol used of a least about 0.5: 1, preferably at least about 0.9: 1. Water to p-amiuophenol weight ratios may be as high as 20:1 or more but use of excessive amounts of water can be disadvantageous in that it may reduce the yield of the desired product. Most advantageous results are obtained when the water to p-aminophenol weight ratio is in tl e range of about 1:1 to 5:1. hydride to p-aminophenol in the present invention is a matter of economics. it is preferred to employ equal to or greater than stoichiometric amounts of acetic anhydride (acetic acid basis) based on the p-aminophenol. Generally, the molar ratio of the acetic anhydride (acetic acid basis) to p-aminophenol is equal to or greater than about 1.

Thus, it should be appreciated that the present inven- The mole ratio of acetic an-- tion obviates the aforementioned disadvantages of presently known methods for the manufacture of Nocetykpaminophenol by providing a simpler method that produces a substantially pure, white product in far less time, without the assistance of catalysts or blanketing gases and does not need a high-grade, i.e. a substantially pure, white p-aminophenol starting material although such may be used if desired. In other words, the starting material can be of a light color.

The following examples are included to further illustrate this invention.

EXAMPLE I One mole of substantially pure, white p-aminophenol was agitated with 25 grams of distilled water to make a paste. To this mixture, held in a beaker, was added 1.1 moles of acetic anhydride (iron-free). The mixture was agitated by hand at room temperature and the temperature went first to 50 C. and then to 70 C. at a rapid rate. In minutes the reaction was over. While hot, the product was about one-third soluble in a liquid phase. Upon cooling at a temperature of 15 C. the product came quickly out of solution. Excess acetic acid made in the run was removed by filtration through a glass filter and the product was then diluted with ammonium hydroxide to neutralize any remaining acetic acid. The resulting solution had a pH of 6.5. To the solution was added grams of Norit carbon black (iron-free) and the mixture was agitated at about 80 C. for 5 minutes. The mixture was filtered through paper to remove the carbon black. The filtrate was then cooled and the product came out of solution as a white crystalline material with very good physical properties. The product was separated from the solution and dried. The yield of product was 94% by weight.

The product of this example was tested and found to meet the aforementioned specifications set forth by one pharmaceutical company. In fact, the product of Example I met the following more stringent specifications:

(1) Description: White, powder crystalline (2) APHA: maximum (3) Solubility: Methanol: clcar. (4) Melting range: 170171 C. (5) pH: 6.0 to 6.5.

(6) Residue on ignition: None (7) Moisture: 0.25% maximum (8) Assay: 99% minimum (U.V.) (9) Chlorides: 100 ppm. maximum (10) Sulfates: 200 p.p.m. maximum (11) Heavy metals: ppm. maximum (12) Odor: None The tests employed to determine whether the above specifications were met are as follows:

APHA: Weight 3 grams of APAP 1 on laboratory balance and transfer to a stoppered 100 ml. graduated cylinder. Add methanol to the ml. mark and shake until APAP is dissolved. Then add distilled water to the 100 ml. mark and mix well. Transfer to Lumetron Nessler tube and fill to 150 mm. mark and take density (X10) reading using B420 blue filter and distilled water at 150 mm. for a blank.

Determine correct APHA from graph.

The APHA method of determining color was established by the American Public Health Association. For

0t water: clear this test, we are using a Photo-volt Lumetron No. 450

which obviates error caused by the human eye.

Solutionn1ethanol: One gram dissolves in 20 ml. of methanol to give a clear solution. Hot water: One gram dissolves in 20 ml. of hot water to give a clear solution.

Melting range: See USP XV, p. 929, Class I. pH: Shake a one gram sample of APAP with 25 ml. of distilled water for two or three minutes and take a pH 1 N-acetyl-p-aminophenol.

iof this saturated solution with a suitable pH meter using a glass and calomel electrode.

Residue on ignition: Accurately weigh about one gram of APAP into a tared crucible and ignite until thoroughly charred. Cool and add about 2 ml. of sulfuric acid and cautiously ignite until the fuming is finished and most of the carbon is consumed. Then transfer to a mufile furnace and heat at 800 for one hour. Cool and weigh.

Moisture: Karl Fischer method; USP XV, p. 942.

Assay: Weigh accurately 0.1 gm. to 0.15 gni.:0.0002 of NBA? and transfer quantitatively to a 100 ml. volumetric flask. Add by pipette 25 ml. of methanol and dissolve the APAP. Dilute to the mark with water. Pipette 1 ml. of the solution into another 100 ml. volumetric flask and add 1 ml. 0.1 N HCl, then dilute to the mark with methanol. Read the final solution on Beckman Du Spectrophotometer at 249 m using methanol which contains 1.0 ml., 0.1 N HCl for each 100 ml. as a blank.

Elfi at 249 my for APAP=875 Calculation: (Method is accurate to i 2%) Optical density at 249 IOO L Wt. of sample in gms. 875

Chlorides: Shake one gram of APAP in 25 ml. of distilled water. Filter and acidify filtrate with 1 ml. of dil. nitric acid. No more turbidity is shown than that produced by a blank which contains 3 ml. (300 ppm.) of standard chloride solution. USP XV, p. 948, when both sample and blank have 2 ml. of .1 N AgNO added.

Sulfates: Shake one gram of APAP with 25 ml. of distilled water and filter. Acidify filtrate with 2 ml. of dil. acetic acid. Add 2 ml. of barium chloride T.S. After 10 minutes no more turbidity is produced than that of a blank which contains distilled water, 2 ml. of dil. acetic acid and 4 ml. (400 ppm.) of standard sulfate solution USP XV, p. 950.

Heavy metals: Shake one gram of APAP in 25 ml. of distilled water for about 3 minutes. Filter and acidfy the filtrate with 2 ml. of dilute acetic acid and add 10 ml. of water. No more color is produced after 10 minutes than a blank run at the same time which contains 3 ml. of standard lead solution ppm.) USP XV, p. 898.

Odor: No odor should be present.

Moreover, the optical density of the product of Example I was determined and compared to the optical density of an N-acetyl-p-aminophenol product currently marketed for use in pharmaceutical compositions. The optical densities were found to be substantially identical.

EXAMPLE II grams of p-aminophenol having a light but brownish color was placed in a 600 ml. Pyrex beaker with 40 g. of distilled water at room temperature. The mixture was agitated to make a paste. The temperature of the paste was found to be 82 C., 78 cc. of acetic anhydride (iron-free) were then added and the temperature rose to 120 C. in 12 minutes the reaction was over. The reaction mixture was then cooled to a temperature of 20 C. and the product precipitated quickly out of solu tion. The precipitated product was then separated from the reaction mixture by filtering and divided into Samples I through VI. The individual samples were processed as follows:

Sample I.-Ammonium hydroxide was added to pro vide a solution having a pH of 7. The solution was permitted to stand for about 1 hour after which 5 weight percent of iron-free carbon black (based on the total solution) was added and the mixture was agitated at about 80 C. After treatment with the carbon black for about 1 hour, the mixture was worked up as follows:

The mixture was filtered through a glass fritter filter to remove the carbon black and the filtrate placed under a clean air stream and hot lamp light to evaporate the solution and give crystals of lJ-acetyl-p-arninophenol.

l00=percent APAP The total volume of the solution was held to about 50 cc. by distilled Wash Water used to wash the glass beaker, glass filter and vacuum I yrex flask. The N-acetyl-p aminophenol crystals were removed on a paper filter and air-dried at 25 C.

The final product was white and had a melting point of 170 C. A check of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen content showed the product to be very pure.

Sample H.-This sample was dissolved in water and worked up in the same manner as Sample I. No NH OH treat or carbon black treat was employed.

Analysis of the final product showed it to be an impure dark sample.

Sample iII.This sample was dissolved in water, carbon treated and worked up in the same manner as Samples I and II but no NH OH treat was employed.

Examination of the final product showed it to be an impure dark sample.

Sample lV.This sample was processed in a manner identical to that employed on Sample I except that a period of days elapsed before the NH OH treat, carbon black treat and work up.

Examination of the product showed it to be of a light grey color.

p-aminophenol crystalline product obtained had a mel ing point of 167 to 170 C. Upon recrystallization from alcohol and water this product was found to have a melting point of 167 to 169 C. All products produced by this process had a grey color.

EXAMPLE IV This example is included to show the effect of water on the reaction of p-aminophenol with acetic anhydride.

10 grams of p-aminophenol having a light color were placed at room temperature in a 600 milliliter Pyrex beaker with amounts of distilled water designated in Table 1 below. The mixture was agitated to make a paste. The temperature of the paste was C. 11 grams of acetic anhydride were then added and the temperature rose as indicated in Table I below. On completion or the reaction the mixture was cooled and the N-acetyl-p-aminophenol precipitated out of solution. The precipitated product was then separated from the reaction mixture by filtration. The resulting products were subjected to chemical analysis and the melting point of each was determined. The results are shown in Table I below.

Examination of the data of Table I shows that when the reaction is conducted in the absence of water diacyla- Table I Temp. up to, C M. Pt. 01 product Color Poor 48 74 166-169 167-l69 167-168 166468 *141-1 18 166467 MiG-1E8 (7.85 N) (9.28 N) (9.17 N) Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Infra-red analysis shows of product is diacetyl ester. Inira-red analysis shows about 1 to 2% of product is diacetyl ester.

Sample V.-This sample was treated with NH OH as 40 tion occurs to the in Sample I but the sample was held at a pH of 7 for 10 days before it was worked up. No carbon black treat was employed.

Examination of the sample showed it to be of a slight grey color.

Sample VI.-This sample was permitted to stand for 10 days and treated with carbon black and worked up as in the above samples. No NI-I OH treat was employed.

The resulting product was of a grey color.

The results of the above samples demonstrate the importance of the ammonium hydroxide treat in obtaining N-acetyl-p-aminophenol of good color and purity. A comparison of the methods used in Samples 1, 11 and III, for example, shows that only when the NI-I OH treat Was included Was a pure white product obtained. Samples 1V, V and VI further emphasize the significance of the NH OH treat of the present invention in that undue delay in applying the NI-I OH treatment will pro duce a slightly colored final product. The NH OH contacting preferably should be within 24 hours, or even within 2 to 5 hours, of the completion of the preparation reaction and most advantageously immediately after completion of the reaction.

EXAMPLE III 109 grams of p-aminophenol were dissolved in cc. of water to which was added 70 grams crystalline acetic acid. As soon as the dissolution was completed 123 grams of acetic anhydride were added and stirred in. The temperature of the reaction rose slightly and N- acetyl-p-aminophenol was precipitated by slow cooling and separated by filtration. The resulting product had a melting point of 16 to 169 C. The product was then recrystallized from alcohol and water and the resulting product was found to have a melting point of 166 to 168 C. A second run was conducted and the N-acetylextent that approximately 50% of the product obtained is diacetyl ester. Employment of an amount of water that bears a weight ratio of p-aminophenol of .521 (run 7) to .9:1 (run 8) results in a product that contains only about 1 to 2% of diacetyl ester. Use of water in a weight ratio to p-aminophenol greater than .9:1 as in runs 1 to 6 results in a product containing no or infinitesimal amounts of the diacetyl ester. Furthermore, from the poor color of all the prod ucts obtained, the data again demonstrate the importance of the ammonium hydroxide treat 01 the method of the present invention.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 804,150, filed April 6, 1959, now abandoned.

I claim:

1. In a method of producing substantially pure N- acetyl-p-aminophenol having a melting point in the range of 169 to 171 C., the steps which comprise reacting at a temperature of up to about C. p-aminophenol and acetic anhydride in water in a weight'ratio to said paminophenol of at least about .521 to produce N-acetylp-aminophenol, adding to said N-acetyl-p-aminophenol suflicient aqueous ammonium hydroxide to bring the pH to at least about 6, cooling the mixture to crystallize N- acetyl-p-aminophenol, and recovering substantially pure N-acetyl-p-aminophenol.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of water to p-aminophenol is at least about 09:1.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein after said ammonium hydroxide addition the product is contacted with 2" 8 range of 169 to 171 C, the steps which comprise reacting 2,721,213 Mooradian Oct. 18, 1955 at a temperature of up to about 70 C. p-aminophenol 2,901,508 Korman Aug. 25, 1959 and acetic anhydride in Water in a Weight ratio to said 2,998,450 Wilbert et al Aug. 29, 1961 p-aminophenol of at least about 0.9:1 to produce N- OTHER REFERENCES acetyl-p-aminophenol, adding to said N-acetyl-p-amino- 5 phenol sufficient aqueous ammonium hydroxide to bring Lumere ct Ch1m France, Volume 33,

the pH to at least about 6, contacting the resulting miX- 3rd Series P ture with iron-free carbon black, removing said carbon Dagfifingi An Outline of g Nltfogen black and cooling the mixture to crystallize N-acetyl-p- P P Published y University Lithoprintfifs (Ypsilanti,

aminophenol, and recovering substantially pure N-acetyl- 10 M1611), P 398 p-aminophenol. Noller: Chemistry of Organic Compounds, published References Cited in the file of this patent Saunders (phlladelphlw pages 238 239 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,070,991 Hand et al Feb. 16, 1937 15 

1. IN A METHOD OF PRODUCING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE NACETYL-P-AMINOPHENOL HAVING A MELTING POINT IN THE RANGE OF 169 TO 171*C., THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISE REACTING AT A TEMPERATURE OF UP TO ABOUT 130*C. P-AMINOPHENOL AND ACETIC ANHYDRIDE IN WATER IN A WEIGHT RATIO TO SAID PAMINOPHENOL OF AT LEAST ABOUT .5:1 TO PRODUCE N-ACETYLP-AMINOPHENOL, ADDING TO SAID N-ACETYL-P-AMINOPHENOL SUFFICIENT AQUEOUS AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE TO BRING THE PH TO AT LEAST ABOUT 6, COOLING THE MIXTURE TO CRYSTALLIZE NACETYL-P-AMINOPHENOL, AND RECOVERING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE N-ACETYL-P-AMINOPHENOL. 